Blog
Posted on July 28, 2011 in General Dentistry
Dentist in New Jersey Uses Laser Dentistry to Maintain Oral Health
According to a recent study conducted by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), gum disease affects nearly 8 in 10 American adults. New Jersey dentist Dr. Jerry Strauss says controlling this disease is crucial to maintaining one’s oral health and keeping their teeth. He adds that the pathogens that cause periodontal disease can affect the overall health of his patients, which is why he uses the latest technology in laser dentistry.
Periodontal disease affects the oral health of nearly 8 in 10 American adults according to the latest study from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). Dr. Jerry Strauss warns his New Jersey dentistry patients of the dangers of gum disease, and says with numbers so high, even healthy-looking smiles are not safe. Because the disease is so common and can have such a harmful impact on the overall health of his patients, Dr. Strauss says he works closely with each patient to maintain quality oral health and preserve their smiles through a combination of general, laser, and cosmetic dentistry in New Jersey.
In a recent article on the Aesthetic Dental Care website, Dr. Strauss describes the systematic problems periodontal disease can cause or worsen, such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and strokes. However, he then goes on to discuss the many ways gum disease can be detected and treated, which allow him to detect the type of destructive bacteria that causes the disease. “We can do targeted treatment, which allows us to manage the disease better, and which accelerates healing while minimizing the disease.”
While he uses laser dentistry for a number of procedures at his practice, such as [teeth whitening] and restorative dentistry, Dr. Strauss says laser dentistry is extremely important in the treatment of periodontal disease because it allows for faster healing times and reduces the amount of post-operative pain a patient experiences. “Using laser therapy in the treatment of periodontal disease is more conservative than conventional surgery, less invasive, and the results are outstanding.”
About Jerry Strauss, DMD
Dr. Jerry Strauss earned his dental degree from Boston University’s School of Graduate Dentistry with a combined Master’s degree in Nutritional Biochemistry. He then completed his general practice residency at SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, NY, and served as a clinical instructor there for many years. Dr. Strauss has achieved Mastership status with the Academy of General Dentistry by completing over 100 hours of continuing education, which is the highest honor the academy bestows on its members. He is also a member of the American Dental Association, the Association of Laser Dentistry, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and the New Jersey Dental Society.
Aesthetic Dental Care of New Jersey is located at 389 Passaic Ave. in Fairfield, NJ 07004, and can be reached at (973) 287-3829, or found online at aestheticdentalcarenj.com or the Aesthetic Dental Care NJ Facebook page.
###
Posted on July 14, 2011 in General Dentistry
Gum disease is a common infectious disease. Even if your smile looks healthy, there is a chance you may have periodontal disease. In fact, estimates are as high as 85% of the adult population has some level of periodontal disease. It is the most common chronic infection known to man. Therefore, controlling this disease is critical if you want to keep your teeth. Now we also know that periodontal disease is critical to your overall health because the pathogens that cause gum disease can spread from the mouth to the rest of your body. There are many links to systemic problems such as cardiovascular disease, strokes, diabetes, premature birth in pregnant women and kidney disease.
Today, there are ways to test whether one has the genetic marker for periodontal disease and there is also a bacterial DNA salivary test which assesses the specific type of destructive periodontal bacteria in the mouth that causes the disease. By knowing the results, we can do targeted treatment which allows us to manage the disease better and which accelerates healing and can minimize systemic disease.
Dentists can work closely with physicians to screen patients with periodontal disease for certain blood markers such as Vitamin D, C Reactive Protein levels and diabetes markers. Proper nutritional habits are also critical to be aware of. This along with appropriate dental treatment can reduce inflammation and reduce risk of systemic disease. A lifetime of commitment to reducing oral inflammation can go a long way in keeping one healthy. You and your family will greatly benefit from this.
If you have questions about periodontal disease treatment or bacterial testing please contact us via email or call 973.287.3829.
Posted on November 11, 2009 in General Dentistry
Flossing is just as important as brushing your teeth when it comes to oral care. It is important to understand that brushing alone leaves as much as 40% of the tooth surfaces untouched. By augmenting your brushing routine with flossing, you are getting into all the areas between and under teeth that a toothbrush simply cannot reach. Flossing at night is particularly beneficial, because that is when bacterial and plaque builds up most. It isn’t just your gums and mouth that benefit from regular flossing, but your overall well-being. Periodontal disease, which can be prevented with regular flossing, has been linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Your teeth can last a lifetime if you practice basic dental care, which involves brushing and flossing regularly, eating a mouth-healthy diet, and visiting your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings. Developing good dental health habits is the best way to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
If it’s been too long since you had professional oral care, we invite you to call Aesthetic Dental Care of New Jersey at (973) 287-3829 to schedule an appointment and get you back on track. Even severe periodontal disease may be arrested with proper dental treatment.
Aesthetic Dental Care is located at 389 Passaic Avenue in Fairfield, NJ (973) 287-3829
Keep Smiling,
Dr. Jerry Strauss
P.S. Just like most everything, there is acorrect way to floss. Be sure toask your dentist for instructions, and follow them toget the most benefit.
Posted on July 27, 2009 in General Dentistry
The noise made when you open your mouth or chew is no laughing matter. TMJ is a disorder of the jaw joint where the ball, socket and disk are damaged or misaligned. This puts pressure and undue wear on the joint,causing deterioration of the structures. The body naturally attempts to realign the joint using muscles in the face, jaw and neck. As these muscles become fatigued, additional muscles in the shoulders, back and arms also become stressed. This results in varying degrees of pain and dysfunction, including headaches, facial pain, noise emanating from the TM joints difficulty in opening and chewing, numbness in the face or hands, ringing in the ears, dizziness, and postural problems. Grinding, or bruxing, is your way of trying to find the right position, an instinct that unfortunately only exacerbates all the other symptoms. Neuromuscular dentistry utilizes a combination of electromyography, ultrasound,and computer scans to track and relax facial, neck and back muscles, and guide your jaw into its ideal and most comfortable position. A neuromuscular orthotic maintains the position, and allows the joint to heal. Patients report relief of symptoms within hours of wearing a neuromuscular orthotic. The greatest advantage of neuromuscular dentistry is that it is completely noninvasive, as there is no surgery involved, and adjustments are easily made. There is no longer a need to suffer because of TMJ. A dentist skilled in the treatment, and with the proper equipment, can help. At Aesthetic Dental Care, we have both the expertise and hi-tech equipment to treat your TMJ issues. Call for your appointment today (973)227-8998…Aesthetic Dental Care is located at 389 Passaic Avenue in Fairfield, NJ.
P.S.Sometimes, the symptoms of TMJ dysfunction can be so unusual, and seemingly unrelated to your jaw, that most people, including physicians, don’t even consider that the problems could be jaw related.
Posted on October 13, 2008 in General Dentistry
Flossing is just as important as brushing your teeth when it comes to oral care. It is important to understand that brushing alone leaves as much as 40% of the tooth surfaces untouched. By augmenting your brushing routine with flossing, you are getting into all the areas between and under teeth that a toothbrush simply cannot reach. Flossing at night is particularly beneficial, because that is when bacteria laden plaque builds up most. It isn’t just your gums and mouth that benefit from regular flossing, but your overall well-being. Periodontal disease, which can be prevented with regular flossing, has been linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Your teeth can last a lifetime if you practice basic dental care, which involves brushing and flossing regularly, eating a mouth-healthy diet, and visiting your dentist for regular checkups and cleanings. Developing good dental health habits is the best way to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. If it’s been too long since you had professional oral care, we invite you to call AESTHETIC DENTAL CARE at (973) 287.3829 to schedule an appointment and get you back on track. Even severe periodontal disease may be arrested with proper dental treatment.
P.S. Just like most everything, there is a correct way to floss. Be sure to ask your dentist for instructions, and follow them to get the most benefit.
Posted on September 19, 2008 in General Dentistry
The American Dental Association has announced that in Sweden and Norway, the use of silver-mercury (amalgam) dental fillings has been banned. There has been much discussion as to the health and environmental risks of these fillings for some time. In the USA, the use of silver-mercury is still permitted by the government and the FDA. However, many states now require elaborate filtration systems in dental offices to insure that when removed from teeth, silver-mercury filling waste does not get into the sewage system, as it is considered hazardous. New York has such a requirement, and New Jersey will begin enforcement in the coming months. In 2008, there are seemingly better materials than silver amalgam with which to restore teeth. Not only does amalgam contain mercury, which is a toxic substance and is downright ugly, but studies have shown that it is not beneficial to teeth. Imagine the activity of mercury in a thermometer- it expands and contracts as the temperature changes, and does the same thing in your mouth. It contracts, leaving minute crevices that bacteria-laden saliva seeps into, causing decay under the filling. When the filling later expands, it pushes on weakened tooth structure, often causing the cusp of a tooth to fracture off.
Alternatives to mercury-silver fillings are resin/composite restorations or porcelain onlays. Composite is a white material that is bonded to the tooth. Since composite restorations are tooth colored and natural looking, until recently, dental insurance companies deemed that they were only cosmetic and therefore they were not covered under the terms of some policies. However, now the better policies recognize the benefits of composite restorations and do reimburse for them, or at the very least, reimburse at the level of an amalgam filling. Porcelain onlays are harder than filling material and usually last longer. The porcelain is also bonded into place and helps to strengthen the tooth. If you have silver-mercury amalgam fillings in your mouth, chances are you’ll be OK. It is considered unethical for a dentist to advise a patient to have them removed purely for health reasons. However, many patients opt to do so.
If you have questions concerning mercury fillings, you should ask your dentist. If you do not have a dental home, you are welcome to contact us Aesthetic Dental Care of New Jersey (where we haven’t used mercury filling material for over fifteen years) and schedule an appointment so that we can discuss your unique situation. We’re located at 389 Passaic Avenue in Fairfield.
P.S. If silver-mercury amalgams considered so toxic that soon it won’t be allowed to be removed from teeth by regular means, is it really something you want in your mouth?
